The Senate has voted 28-5 in favor of HB 334, the bill to raise DMV administrative fees, for things like title certificates and driver's licenses, by $13.1 million a year. Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, said he was unhappy that the fees "will be imposed…
The three new transportation bills all were introduced in Ways & Means and sent to the 2nd Reading calendar in the House. Chairman Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry, expressed concern about setting up a situation where ISP and parks funding would have to rely on a…
The Senate reconvened, amended HB 338, the ethanol bill, as planned, and adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow. The House also has adjourned until the same time. Meanwhile, the House minority and majority caucuses have concluded, and House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, said, "There…
Legislation to raise $13.1 million a year more from DMV fees also has cleared the Senate Transportation Committee and is on its way to the full Senate, as part of a tentative end-of-session transportation funding deal. Meanwhile, House Republicans are headed into a closed-door caucus…
HB 226, the bill from Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, to attempt to make Idaho a truck trailer logo license-plate Mecca, passed the House unanimously on March 20, but has languished ever since. Now it's being heard in the Senate Transportation Committee, as one small piece…
The Senate Transportation Committee has voted unanimously to add an amendment to HB 338, the bill eliminating the ethanol exemption from fuel tax, to direct the distribution of the funds to ITD for road maintenance. "We decided this about an hour ago," Senate Transportation Chairman…
House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, had this to say about the House GOP leadership's meeting with the governor this morning: "We're still talking, and that's good." Denney said, "I think we will caucus - I've told people to be back around 2."Of the ongoing talks…
The Senate has convened, just briefly, and then the majority went back into a closed-door caucus meeting. Senate GOP leaders said when they arrived at Gov. Butch Otter's office, the House GOP leaders already had left. They met separately with the governor for about an…
Senate Republicans emerged from their closed-door caucus, and their leadership, plus the Senate finance and transportation committee chairmen, headed straight over to meet with Gov. Butch Otter, who's already been meeting with House GOP leaders. Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis said the governor's office called…
House and Senate GOP leaders emerged from their meeting with the governor just now looking somewhat encouraged, but reporting nothing more than vague "progress." House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, said, "We discussed several things - nothing ready for prime time yet, though. ... We will…
Idaho's speaker of the House has decided to unilaterally kill legislation to expand Idaho's Sunshine Law, which would have ended the state's distinction as one of just three states with no personal financial disclosure requirements for elected officials or candidates. "The Senate and the governor…
The House has concurred in the Senate's minor amendments to the election consolidation bill, HB 372a, and given the bill final passage on a 48-16 vote. Rep. Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, urged passage of the move that lawmakers have debated for many years.
The Senate is debating HB 372a, the sweeping, 98-page election consolidation bill. "There are 1,245 taxing districts in the state of Idaho, and with few exceptions, they can hold an election any time, any place," Senate sponsor Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, told the Senate. "We have…
Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, said Senate leaders met with the governor today at noon, but didn't meet with House leaders. "I don't see that there was progress made," he said heavily, as the 113th day of this year's legislative session drew near…
House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, had this response to the House GOP leaders' press conference today: "I think it's disappointing that the impasse is making such dysfunctional government. Who would've thought, with the governor and supermajorities (all of the same party), it's leading to…
House Education Chairman Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, said he had no intention of showing up for today's Senate Education Committee hearing on his bill, HB 373. "The chairman knew last Wednesday night I wasn't coming," Nonini told Eye on Boise. "The issues have all been…
The Senate Finance Committee has voted unanimously to kill 14 budget bills that were written by the House Appropriations Committee, then passed by the House, without going through the usual joint budget committee process. Senate Finance Chairman Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, cited two laws and several…
The House went into session and passed eight appropriation bills - all bills they were passing for the third time. The first time, they got vetoed by the governor. The second time, the bills had been cobbled together by the House Appropriations Committee without its…
House members are filtering in slowly this morning after their four-day weekend; House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, said it may be "1-ish" before the House convenes today. Bedke said, "We'll go on the floor, and we'll see if there have been any bills…
The Senate is assembled and ready to go this morning, but is awaiting the amendments to HB 372, the new election consolidation bill, before starting. Amending that bill is among the items on senators' agenda for their morning session today. "We're continuing to try and…
On tonight's "Idaho Reports" show on Idaho Public TV, I join House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke, R-Oakley; House Minority Caucus Chairman Bill Killen, D-Boise; Senate Assistant Majority Leader Joe Stegner, R-Lewiston; BSU political scientist emeritus Jim Weatherby; and host Thanh Tan to discuss the…
HB 372, the new election consolidation bill, is going to the Senate's amending order. Senate State Affairs Committee members expressed support for the bill, but said a few items still need correcting, including changing the number of months required between school bond elections from five…
When Sen. Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, began presenting the new version of the 98-page election consolidation bill to the Senate State Affairs Committee this morning, committee Chairman Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa, stopped him with a question: "Are we missing a y in county?" Hill looked closely, and…
Sen. Tim Corder, R-Mountain Home, urged the Senate to back the amended version of SB 1112a, the day care licensing bill, despite numerous problems he highlighted with the House amendments. "I'm still asking you to support it, with the fiscal impact, with all the errors,…
Democrats from the House and Senate held a news conference this morning to object to the House Republicans' move last night to attempt to unilaterally adjourn the legislative session. "The Legislature is constructed to have a balance of power between the houses, and both balance…
